Subways Songs
SSC1151 2006-07-18
Track List
Morning Rush - 5:47
Underground - 11:45
Subway Suite Part 1 - 8:24
Subway Suite Part 2 - 7:15
Subway Suite Part 3 - 5:25
Fast Forward - 7:10
Underground Mess - 6:48
Ephemeral Muse - 6:23
Evening Rush - 1:10
Musicians
Marcus Strickland - tenor & soprano saxs, bass clarinet
Mark Grosss - alto sax
Helen Sung - piano
Joshua Ginsburg - bass
H. Benjamin Schuman - drums
100% of the profits are donated to the JazzReach foundation.
All compositions are inspired by the many facets of the New York city subway experience and , as you may notice, all contain the interval of a descending major third (from E to C) - the two pitches heard immediately following a subway motorman's obligatory annoucement to "stand clear ofthe closing doors" just prior to departing a station stop.
JazzReach’s acclaimed resident ensemble performs eight newly commissioned works of program music inspired by the many dynamic facets of the New York City subway experience .
On any given weekday, over 7 million mostly tolerant and peaceful individuals converge on the New York City Subway with rarely a serious conflict or incident. This perpetual and increasingly vulnerable social improvisation with all its diversity has a unique way of peeling away economic, cultural, ethnic and religious differences and beautifully illuminating the universality of the human condition..
“What fascinates me,” Schuman says, “is how distance and alienation seem to foster and propagate false preconceptions, paranoia, fear and hate, whereas in an often packed and richly diverse environment like the New York City subway, people have the capacity (for the most part) to respect one another and peacefully coexist.”
“The project, though inspired by the New York City subway, is also dedicated to those who perished in the London subway bombings of July 2005 and is intended as a humble offering of peace.
”Sunnyside Records will graciously donate ALL proceeds from the sale of Subway Songs directly to JazzReach
Established by musician, H. Benjamin Schuman in 1994, JazzReach is a nationally recognized New York City-based not-for-profit organization committed to fostering a greater awareness, appreciation and understanding of jazz . JazzReach has served over 100,000 young people nationwide through the presentation of innovative live multi-media educational programs for young audiences, captivating main-stage concerts for all audiences and informative clinics, workshops and master-classes for student musicians.
JazzReach programs are made possible in part by generous grants and contributions from corporations, foundations, individual supporters